CDZ What if we ARE alone?

[Tijn Von Ingersleben]

How does that affect our lives on this planet?

That was the question.

It doesn't...not in a single way.

Certainly it does. If we are alone we would stop searching for extraterrestrial life. I mean really, do keep looking for your car keys when you realize they are at work?

That does not affect our lives here. The expenditures used by governments to search for ET life is minuscule.
It would affect nothing. As far as space and space exploration the scientific benefits gained through experimentation has more than paid for itself many times over.

 

[alang1216]

How would that conclusion change your perception of the Earth, the universe and mankind? Would you still believe all of these were accidental? Would our uniqueness upset your belief in scientific certainty?

Or would you never accept the possibility that we might be alone?

I can't imagine how you would prove such a thing but I'd be very surprised and very disappointed if you did.

It wouldn't change my thinking, I guess one species on one planet had to be the first to come into existence, why not ours?

 

[there4eyeM]

A human is existentially isolated. Despite being a social animal by nature and necessity, one only has one's perceptions, totally subjective, by which anything can be known. Thus, one's consciousness is alone, an inner world which may or may not be in real contact with a physical universe. Then, eventually, what we call death takes place, and one is ultimately alone there. It is as if the universe ended; the "individual" evaporates without trace of regret, hope or fear.
Extraterrestrial life has no serious bearing on this human condition.

 

[Oddball]

How would that conclusion change your perception of the Earth, the universe and mankind? Would you still believe all of these were accidental? Would our uniqueness upset your belief in scientific certainty?

Or would you never accept the possibility that we might be alone?

What if we are a quarantine planet?

 

[petro]

How would that conclusion change your perception of the Earth, the universe and mankind? Would you still believe all of these were accidental? Would our uniqueness upset your belief in scientific certainty?

Or would you never accept the possibility that we might be alone?

What if we are a quarantine planet?

Probably a navigation beacon several light years out, stating "Beware of crazy primates of third world from Sol".

 

[Flash]

We know a lot about Chemistry and a lot about Biology but after decades and decades of serious research we don't know how Chemistry turns into Biology.

We only have one data point and that is life here on earth. Until we get another data point anything we say is really nothing more than pure conjecture without much of a foundation.

If the universe is finite then there can be unique things in it. For all we know life may be unique to earth. Everything we see outside of earth is sterile. So right now it is not looking good.

The problems humans have is that we have been brainwashed with 100 years of Science Fiction. We see alien worlds all the time in movies, books and on TV. That clouds the way we view science.

All the data we have now says we are alone. Until we get another data point then that will be the way it is.

 

[Kentucky_Conservative]

It is foolish to believe we are alone in the universe. The sheer size of the universe is beyond the capacity of the human brain to comprehend it. To try to imagine a space so immense, that it NEVER ends? Even if there is an end at some point, a HUGE glass ball we exist in, then we must ask, "What is on the other side of the glass?"

This is why people who deny God are such fools.

 

[fncceo]

How would that conclusion change your perception of the Earth, the universe and mankind? Would you still believe all of these were accidental? Would our uniqueness upset your belief in scientific certainty?

Or would you never accept the possibility that we might be alone?

Some species had to be first ...

 

[jwoodie]

Some species had to be first ...

What does that mean?

 

[fncceo]

Some species had to be first ...

What does that mean?

It means, if we are alone in the Universe, it only means we are the first. The Universe is far from being finished.

 

[jwoodie]

It means, if we are alone in the Universe, it only means we are the first. The Universe is far from being finished.

That seems illogical to me. Given the vastness of the universe, the odds of intelligent life randomly appearing only once is infinitesimal. If we are indeed unique, there must have been some purpose for our existence.

 

[fncceo]

It means, if we are alone in the Universe, it only means we are the first. The Universe is far from being finished.

That seems illogical to me. Given the vastness of the universe, the odds of intelligent life randomly appearing only once is infinitesimal. If we are indeed unique, there must have been some purpose for our existence.

Not necessarily. We have a very limited perspective of the Universe and there is much we don't know.

The Universe as we know it is speculated to be a mere 14 Billion Years old. It is speculated that the Universe will continue exist and form new stars for another 100 Trillion Years. If such speculations are even a little bit accurate, it means our Universe is barely in its infancy.

Some species had to be the first intelligent species in the Universe. If it is us, then I don't know if that makes us special, it just makes us an early entry. I'm much more curious about what will come later.

 

[2aguy]

How would that conclusion change your perception of the Earth, the universe and mankind? Would you still believe all of these were accidental? Would our uniqueness upset your belief in scientific certainty?

Or would you never accept the possibility that we might be alone?

I don't think we are alone....God just separated us so that we would all have time to develop.......and as to visitations? I think that if aliens have visited.....we are so far away from where they come from that they can only send small missions...which is also why they haven't revealed themselves to us......think space travel at the level of ocean travel before the Multi-sail ship.....

 

[Dogmaphobe]

Well, if we are alone, I guess that removes any possibility that there is any intelligent life in the universe.

 

[task0778]

How would that conclusion change your perception of the Earth, the universe and mankind? Would you still believe all of these were accidental? Would our uniqueness upset your belief in scientific certainty?

Or would you never accept the possibility that we might be alone?

First, any such conclusion would be quite foolish. The vastness of the universe together with the huge number of habitable planets, moons, and whatever that possibly could sustain life is such that no one can know one way or the other. Is it possible that we are alone? Yeah, but the idea that just because we haven't found any life forms elsewhere yet has to mean none exists is to my mind ridiculous.

If we consider the possibility that we are alone is true, would that change my perception of the Earth, the Universe, and Mankind? Nope, don't see why it should. Now, if the Klingons show up tomorrow, then I reserve the right to change my mind.

Would you still believe all of these were accidental? Still? Kinda jumped the shark there a little bit, no? Who says it was accidental? Got any evidence one way or the other? No, you don't, nor does anyone else. Is it possible that life on this planet is accidental? Yes. Is it possible that it isn't? Yes. Is it possible to prove it, either way? No. The word accidental implies an unintentional event; i.e., no God. I ain't going down that rabbit hole.

Would our uniqueness upset your belief in scientific certainty? Scientific certainty of what? There are no certainties for life in the universe other than our own. Anyone who concludes that life does not exist elsewhere in the Universe because we haven't found it yet, is in no position to talk about scientific certainty. There was a time not long ago when the scientific community believed that the Universe was contracting, now they think it's expanding. Is there any certainty about it? I don't think so, and I don't think there are many scientists who are all that certain about life elsewhere either. I believe the prevailing opinion at present is that the sheer number of places where life could sprout is so large that it is almost unbelievable that it hasn't.

 

[Likkmee]

You iz !

 

[konradv]

You iz !

Those people are nutz.

 

[Old Man Grumbles]

If we are not the only life in the universe and are being visited by more advanced life, then what they see of the human species must be disconcerting. Humans excel at negative behavior - selfishness, hate, violence, war, destruction.

If we should be alone - good. At least it prevents us from teaching some other intelligence the ways of ugliness that we, as a species, have so readily adopted.
If we are the highest form of life in this universe we deserve become extinct.

 

[Syriusly]

How would that conclusion change your perception of the Earth, the universe and mankind? Would you still believe all of these were accidental? Would our uniqueness upset your belief in scientific certainty?

Or would you never accept the possibility that we might be alone?

Wouldn't change my 'perception' either way.
Can't even imagine why it would affect anyone's analysis of the scientific facts.

 

[Syriusly]

A very sad prospect indeed to think that our miserable shabby assed excuse for intelligent life is the best that could be done.

That raises a question that atheists won't answer: Do you believe that humans are the highest form of intelligence in the universe?

Why do you imagine that I as an atheist won't answer that question?

The answer is- I don't know. I have no evidence of the existence of any species that is more intelligent than homo sapiens. And no evidence of any form of intelligence that is not a species.